"Origami Garbage Bin" - includes animation (and a diagram) to show you how to fold this. Although it's called a garbage bin, it will make great seed-starting pots since you can place the entire thing in the ground and the newspaper will quickly decompose.

Could it be your Soil pH levels are off ? How to test if your soil is alkaline or acidic and what to do to fix it - if it's acidic add limestone, if it's alkaline add coffee grounds, sawdust, or peat moss to lower the pH of your soil

All you need is a small amount of vertical space around a balcony or an open window which can hang or store a vertical array of drink bottles that can grow all your herbs and lettuce easily. Recycle as many of your plastic drink containers.